Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages and Disadvantages Aside from determining a character’s physical and mental capabilities, a player may or may not wish to define that character’s personality—his history, his family, his beliefs, his quirks, et cetera. One option is to allow players to select Advantages and Disadvantages. Skim the list below and determine first, whether you want to use Advantages and Disadvantages, and second, which particular entries you want to include or exclude. To sum up the use of Advantages and Disadvantages: choose an item, write it on the character sheet, record the associated die codes (which is in parentheses), add up the die codes (which can result in a positive or a negative number), and determine how many extra or fewer skill dice that character receives (positive value = extra, negative value = fewer). Advantages Descriptions Extraordinary Hearing (-2D): The construction of this character’s sound collectors (ears, usually), has increased his ability to distinguish between similar sounds, determine the direction of the source of those sounds, and pick up whispers from a distance. Extraordinary Memory (-1D): This character can recall long ago events or esoteric facts with ease. In game terms, she gains +1D to any Knowledge-based skill roll. Extraordinary Sight (-2D): The shape and genetic makeup of this character’s eyes enable her to see three times as far as a normal member of her species. Infravision (-3D): Characters born with this enhanced visual acuity can see into the infrared spectrum, thereby sensing heat patterns. Noble Birth (-1D): This character fell into luxury—born into a wealthy, perhaps noble, family. She wanted for nothing, attending the best schools, ordering servants around, and having everything she desired. The character begins play with double the amount of funds normally given to starting characters. Quick Draw (-2D): The character may draw a type of weapon (sword, rifle, blaster, and so forth) immediately, i.e., it does not count as an action during a combat round. Note that this factor applies only to a single weapon type. If you want your character to be able to quick draw a sword and a knife, he must take this factor twice (for a cumulative –4D penalty). Sixth Sense (-2D): This character has an innate danger sense. Fifty-percent (1–3 on a roll of 1D) of the time an alarm goes off in her head when she comes within a few seconds of a dangerous situation. The GM rolls this check secretly and alerts the player when it is successful. Ultravision (–3D): Beings of many species have been born with abnormal sight organs. Those characters with ultravision have the ability to see into the ultraviolet spectrum. Disadvantages Description Abused (+3D): During his childhood, the character endured physical or mental (or both) abuse. This treatment has severely altered his perception of reality, though in a different way for each individual. Work with the GM to decide upon suitable abnormalities. Addiction (+3D): The character cannot go more than one day without drinking, gambling, etc., i.e., satisfying his addiction. Failure to do so results in lowered metabolic rates, thereby reducing the character’s attribute scores by 1 for each day she goes without (on the first day, an attribute of 4D would fall to 3D+2; on the second it would fall to 3D+1, and so on). After one week (more or less at the GM’s discretion), the character has defeated her addiction. If she ever partakes of the formerly addictive activity in the future, she has a 50% (1–3 on a roll of 1D) chance of becoming addicted again. Argumentative (+1D): This character constantly plays the devil’s advocate. She rejoices when an exploitable situation arises, arguing though she sometimes agrees with her adversary. The argument becomes a game, a strategic contest of wills. Blackouts (+2D): During high pressure situations, this character has a tendency to blackout for several minutes. She has no recollection of this lost time. In game terms, the character blacks out whenever she rolls a 1 on the Wild Die for 1D minutes. Center of Conversation (+1D): This character feels the need to always be in the middle of every conversation. And why not. He always knows exactly what to say—at least, that’s what he thinks. Compulsive Tendencies (+3D): At any time, the character may decide to do or say something that she would not normally do or say under the circumstances. For example, during a conversation with a head of state, the character might blurt out, “Your wife is much uglier than I expected.” Curse (+3D): This character either inherited or brought upon herself a curse. The player must decide the specifics of the hex, but known curses include uncontrollable shape-changing, a violent reaction to something the character loves, and constant failure at a given task. Debt (+1D to +3D, depending on the size of the debt): This character either inherited this debt or borrowed a substantial amount of money. She has a time limit for repaying the loan. Delusions of Grandeur (+1D): The best thing to ever happen to the world. That’s how characters with this Disadvantage view themselves. No one can surpass their prowess—they shouldn’t even bother trying. Extremely Competitive (+1D): To this character everything is a competition. She always wants to race the other characters to the battle, put herself in more danger than anyone else, and slosh down the most drinks. She cannot turn down a challenge. Fallback Plan (+2D): This character cannot function unless she has devised a backup plan for every situation she puts herself into. This applies to everything from combat to relationships. Fanatic (+3D): This character holds to philosophical ideal, the source of which may be a sect, a nation, or a person. She will always defend this ideal, even trading her life for its preservation. Hallucinations (+3D): At random times, this character begins having delusions. He cannot tell when something is truly occurring or just a figment of his imagination. The GM has full control over this Disadvantage. Hides Emotions (+2D): This character never allows himself to express his true feelings. No one ever knows how he feels about anything, and it’s difficult to coax the information out of him. Kleptomaniacal Tendencies (+2D): For some inexplicable reason, this character cannot help taking things that don’t belong to him without the owner’s permission. If the character wishes to resist this urge, he must succeed at a Willpower check. Limp (+1D): For some reason, either a genetic problem or an injury, this character limps noticeably. His movement drops by one (10 to 9, 3 to 2, et cetera). Low Self-esteem (+2D): This character has a low opinion of herself. She constantly berates herself, harping on her bad qualities. Manic Depressive (+3D): This character slips into deep, long-lasting depressions. He doesn’t care about anything during these times. The player may decide when the character falls into depression and when he extricates himself from it. If the player never lets his character lapse into this state, the GM should take the initiative. Medical Problem (+3D): This character suffers from an ailment that requires she take medicine every day to treat the illness. The player and GM should work together to develop the specifics of the problem, the appropriate medicine, and the ramifications of failing to take the medicine. Migraine Headaches (+2D): The character has a 33% (1–2 on a roll of 1D) chance per day to suffer the unrelenting pain of a severe migraine headache. In game terms, the character receives a –1D penalty to all of his attributes for the remainder of that day. Motion Sickness (+1D): Whenever this character rides a creature or a vehicle, she must make an Endurance check against an Easy (10) difficulty or immediately begin to shake and vomit, giving her a –1D penalty to all actions undertaken while still riding. Multiple Personality Disorder (+3D): The character has several personalities that take over his body at certain times (determined by the player and the GM). Usually, the personality that takes control does so when something about the character’s current situation calls for the new personality’s “expertise.” Each person within the body may have different goals, quirks, and skills. Narcissistic (+2D): This character is complete in love with himself. He spends hours looking at himself in the mirror and cannot fathom why anyone else would not feel the same about his beauteous physique, his sharp wit, and his engaging personality. Nightmares (+1D): Almost every night, this character suffers from horrible nightmares, usually related to an unsatisfied issue in his life, though not necessarily. As a result, the character needs 10 hours of sleep per day. Failure to get the required amount of rest results in a 1D penalty to all skill and attribute rolls for that day. No Self-confidence (+2D): The character has no confidence in himself. Whenever he has to perform an important task (making an accurate shot, negotiating with a hostage, et cetera), he has a 50% (1–3 on a roll of 1D) chance of losing confidence. If he fails this roll, he reduces his chance of success in the current endeavor by 2D. Obsessive Tendencies (+2D): Whenever this character decides on a course of action, she cannot help but become totally focused on that action, ignoring all other issues in her life. Orphaned (+2D): The character does not know who her parents are and may only have a dim recollection of her early childhood. The GM may decide this information at a later time. Paranoia (+3D): Everyone wants to destroy this character. At least, that’s what she believes. She must constantly look over her shoulder, check every inch of her sleeping environment, and scrutinize every acquaintance. She never knows when her enemies will strike. Pathological Liar (+1D): This character cannot stop himself from lying constantly. No matter what the situation, he is compelled to exaggerate, fib, and outright lie. Peasant Birth (+1D): This character grew up in poverty, scraping a living from the land or from the street. He may have found himself embroiled in less-than-legal activities, or may have pulled himself up through ranks, or he may have become lost in the rest of humanity’s refuse. Phobia (+1D): The die code of this Disadvantage varies depending on the level of the character’s fear (with a maximum of +3D). At +1D, the character avoids the object of his fear as often as possible, but has no problem dealing with it when the time comes. At +3D, the character will never put himself in a situation where he has to cope with his fear. If he does wind up in such a situation, he freezes and remains unmoving until the object of his fear subsides. Fears include heights, water, certain creatures, darkness, open spaces, cramped spaces, magic, thunder, lightning, and so on. Physically Impaired (+3D): The character suffers from a problem of the body. He may be blind, deaf, or mute (or any other impairment you can devise). Poor Memory (+1D): Characters with this problem have trouble remembering. In game terms, whenever the character has to recall an important piece of information, her chances of doing so drop by 2D (for any Knowledge-based skill roll). Procrastination (+1D): This character always puts everything off. Even when something cannot wait, he still let’s it go until it’s too late. Released Convict (+1D): Sometime during this character’s life he was convicted of a crime (which he may or may not have committed). After serving a jail sentence, he was released and now must battle the stigma against ex-convicts. Skeleton in the Closet (+2D or more): This character has elements of his past that he does not want anyone to unearth. The player should choose a specific “skeleton” and tie it in with the character’s history. No matter what, he must never reveal this secret. It will bring harm to either him or those he loves. Sworn Enemy: This character has for some reason targeted a specific person or creature (+1D) or a species (+3D) of creatures as her direct adversary. Whenever he comes in contact with such a being, he immediately attacks. Targeted for Assassination (+3D): Someone has put out a contract on this character’s life. The assassin could be anyone and could strike at anytime. Wanted for a Crime (+2D): A nation, city-state, or culture has declared this character a criminal. The character may or may not have committed the crime he has been charged with, but nevertheless, the authorities have begun their search for him. Category:Rules Category:Advantages Category:Disadvantages